Corybas iridescens

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Corybas iridescens
Corybas iridescens in sun.jpg
Corybas iridescens near Whanganui
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Diurideae
Genus: Corybas
Species:
C. iridescens
Binomial name
Corybas iridescens
Synonyms [1]

Corybas iridescens is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to the New Zealand. [1] It has a solitary fleshy oval-shaped leaf and a single deep crimson flower, sometimes accompanied with green, with a tapering dorsal sepal.

Contents

Description

Corybas iridescens is a terrestrial, perennial herb with a solitary fleshy oval-shaped leaf born on a very short petiole. The midrib of the leaf is grooved, and the base may be slightly heart-shaped. The leaf is green on the upper surface, sometimes spotted with maroon, and the surface underneath is silvery. The ovary is curved and is accompanied by two slender floral bracts of unequal length; the shorter one is reduced and points towards the leaf, while the longer is at least the length of the ovary and points away from the leaf. The dorsal sepal is long and extends well past the labellum and is oval-shaped when flattened, although the apex often ends in a rather long, sharp tip, which is curved slightly upwards. It is silvery green spotted or striped with purple or may be entirely deep crimson. The lateral sepals are long and filiform (thread-like), pointing forwards and much longer than the labellum, and are translucent white with purple flecking. The petals are similar but are slightly shorter; they are also lobed at the base. The labellum is deep crimson (although rare pale green individuals have been recorded) and iridescent when wet. Its lower portion may be translucent, in which case it is still heavily flecked with crimson. It forms a tubelike structure near its base that abruptly curves downwards, flattens out, and expands to form the portion visible from the front of the flower, which is called the lamina. The labellum has a bead-shaped callus placed near the bend. The lamina is oval-shaped or circular, and its upper borders are folded inwards. The tip ends in an abrupt sharp point. The inner portions of the labellum are covered with ridges and small recurved projections. The column is broad at the base and tilted backwards; there are four pollinia in two pairs. Flowering occurs from October to January. The peduncle elongates greatly as the capsule ripens. [2] [3] [4]

C. iridescens is similar to C. macranthus but can be distinguished by its leaves, which are carried on short petioles and often spotted, and its broader dorsal sepal (C. macranthus has a very slender dorsal sepal), as well as its labellum, which has a prominent callus and is almost always uniformly deep crimson or nearly black and iridescent when wet. C. iridescens also flowers earlier than C. macranthus. [2] [3]

Taxonomy

The type specimen of Corybas iridescens was collected in Ruatiti in a roadside bank at 240 m in 1992 by James Bruce Irwin and Brian Molloy. It was then described under the name Corybas iridescens in 1996. The species was separated from a group of highly similar species, then known as the C. rivularis complex. The specific epithet (iridescens), meaning "becoming iridescent", refers to the distinctive iridescence of the labellum, and to some extent, the dorsal sepal, when the flowers are wet. [2] [3]

In 2002, Brian Molloy, David Jones, and Mark Clements transferred the species into the genus Nematoceras under the name Nematocerasiridescens. In 2003, Dariusz Szlachetko attempted to transfer the species to the genus Corysanthes, but the change was not widely recognized and the species remained within Nematoceras. However, in a 2014 dissertation that analyzed DNA markers from Corybas species occurring from the Himalayas to New Zealand, Stephanie Lyon indicated that Nematoceras and other genera that Molloy, Jones, and Clements had segregated ought to be returned to Corybas . Since then, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families and the New Zealand Department of Conservation has recognized these changes, and N. iridescens returned to its original name, Corybas iridescens. [5] [2] [3]

Distribution and habitat

Corybas iridescens is endemic to the North Island, South Island, and Chatham Islands of New Zealand; at the time of its publication, it was only known from western-central North Island localities, including Taranaki and Whanganui. It grows in coastal to montane habitats in calcium-rich substrates such as those consisting of mudstone and siltstone (known locally as papa rock), as well as limestone; it also grows in basaltic substrates. It usually grows near seepages or on the banks of slow-flowing streams. [2] [3]


Related Research Articles

<i>Corybas</i> (plant) Genus of orchids

Corybas, commonly known as helmet orchids, is a genus of about 120 species of plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Helmet orchids are small, perennial, deciduous herbs and are nearly always terrestrial. They have a single leaf at their base and a single flower on a short stalk, the flower dominated by its large dorsal sepal and labellum. Species of Corybas are found in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, southern China, many Pacific islands and a few sub-Antarctic islands.

Corybas dienemus, commonly known as the windswept helmet-orchid, is one of two helmet orchids endemic to Australia's subantarctic Macquarie Island, and the first orchid to be found there. It is a relatively small orchid with green flowers with purplish-red markings and was discovered in 1978.

<i>Corybas aconitiflorus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas aconitiflorus, commonly known as the cradle orchid or spurred helmet orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to eastern Australia, occurring from south-east Queensland to Tasmania. The small flowers have a hooded appearance as the uppermost sepal hides most of the rest of the flower. It is the type species of the genus Corybas.

Prasophyllum hectori, commonly known as the swamp leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a single tubular, dark green leaf and up to eighty scented, yellow-green flowers with red or brown marking. It is similar to P. colensoi, the only other species of Prasophyllum found in New Zealand, but is distinguished from it by its larger size, larger number of flowers and swampy habitat.

Corybas globulus is a species of helmet orchid endemic to a small area of the New England Tableland in northern New South Wales. It is a relatively small orchid with a bright green, heart-shaped leaf and a bulbous, dark reddish purple flower.

<i>Corybas acuminatus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas acuminatus, commonly known as the dancing spider orchid or helmet flower, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a triangular, sharply pointed leaf and a small translucent, greenish-white flower with purple markings and with very long sepals. It is found on both the main islands of New Zealand and also some of the off-shore islands.

Corybas cerasinus, commonly known as the red helmet orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to tropical north Queensland. It has a single bluish green, heart-shaped leaf and a cherry red to dark maroon flower with its curved dorsal sepal obscuring its labellum which has an upturned tip.

<i>Corybas cheesemanii</i> Species of orchid

Corybas cheesemanii, commonly known as Cheesemans spider orchid or spurred helmet orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It is a small orchid with a single pale green, heart-shaped leaf and usually only a single flower variously coloured from maroon to completely white. It usually grows in deep shade, often in deep leaf litter and flowers in autumn and winter.

<i>Corybas confusus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas confusus, commonly known as the spider orchid is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a single heart-shaped leaf and a single dark green or light green flower with reddish maroon streaks and blotches and long, thread-like lateral sepals and petals. It grows in highland areas on both main islands.

<i>Corybas cryptanthus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas cryptanthus, commonly known as the hidden spider orchid or icky, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has no obvious leaves and the mostly white flower is usually buried in leaf litter. The plant is usually only detected by its fruiting capsule which is borne on a stem which elongates up to 280 mm (10 in) high.

<i>Corybas fimbriatus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas fimbriatus, commonly known as the fringed helmet orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It has a broad egg-shaped to round leaf and a dark reddish purple to crimson flower with translucent patches. It is similar to C. hispidus but its labellum lacks a creamy-white centre and is not covered with bristly hairs.

Corybas fordhamii, commonly known as the banded helmet orchid or swamp helmet orchid, is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has an egg-shaped to heart-shaped leaf and a reddish to reddish purple flower which leans forward. It is similar to C. unguiculatis which does not grow in swamps and has a different labellum.

<i>Corybas oblongus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas oblongus is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a solitary oval-shaped leaf, often patterned with maroon, and a reddish-purple and white flower with a fimbriate labellum.

<i>Corybas obscurus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas obscurus is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a solitary heart-shaped leaf and a deep crimson or nearly black flower and is part of the Corybas trilobus aggregate.

<i>Corybas trilobus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas trilobus is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It is part of the C. trilobus aggregate, whose members are characterized by a funnel or dish-shaped labellum and an often heart or kidney-shaped solitary leaf.

<i>Corybas sanctigeorgianus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas sanctigeorgianus is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the C. trilobus aggregate, whose members are characterized by a funnel or dish-shaped labellum and an often heart or kidney-shaped solitary leaf.

<i>Corybas hatchii</i> Species of orchid

Corybas hatchii is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to New Zealand. It has a solitary rounded leaf, often flecked with maroon, and a single pale green and maroon flower with long, threadlike lateral sepals and petals.

<i>Corybas hypogaeus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas hypogaeus is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to the New Zealand. It is part of the C. trilobus aggregate, whose members are characterized by a funnel or dish-shaped labellum and an often heart or kidney-shaped solitary leaf.

<i>Corybas papillosus</i> Species of orchid

Corybas papillosus is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to the New Zealand. It has a solitary rounded leaf with a heart-shaped base and a single flower with a long, slender green dorsal sepal, as well as a crimson and white labellum.

<i>Corybas papa</i> Species of orchid

Corybas papa is a species of terrestrial orchid endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. It has a solitary wedge-shaped leaf and single translucent green flower with a strongly deflexed labellum and slender, threadlike lateral sepals and petals.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Corybas iridescens". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Molloy, B. P. J.; Irwin, J. B. (1996-03-01). "Two new species of Corybas (Orchidaceae) from New Zealand, and taxonomic notes on C. rivularis and C. orbiculatus". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 34 (1): 1–10. doi: 10.1080/0028825X.1996.10412686 . ISSN   0028-825X.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Corybas iridescens". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  4. ↑ "Corybas iridescens - Big Red Spider Orchid". www.nativeorchids.co.nz. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  5. ↑ Lehnebach, Carlos (2016). "New combinations and a replacement name for three New Zealand spider orchids (Corybas)" (PDF). The New Zealand Native Orchid Journal. 139: 4–5.

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